News

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending more than 438,000 non-contact infrared thermometers from the Strategic National Stockpile to state, territorial and tribal governments to distribute to local authorities and businesses based on their priorities as the nation’s workplaces and economy reopen, the agency announced.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued interim guidelines for serologic methods used for monitoring and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

AHA voiced support for the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (H.R. 6886), legislation introduced this month by Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Dean Phillips, D-Minn.

he Department of Health and Human Services began distributing $500 million in Public Health and Social Services Emergency Funds allocated to tribal hospitals, clinics and urban programs.

The Department of Health and Human Services has extended the deadline for health care providers to attest to receipt of payments from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund and accept the terms and conditions.

CMS issued a rule finalizing certain telehealth and network adequacy proposals for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans for contract years 2021 and 2022, as well as certain provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 and 21st Century Cures Act, among other changes. The agency plans to issue a separate final rule to address other remaining provisions of the proposed rule.

The Food and Drug Administration approved two abbreviated new drug applications expected to alleviate shortages and help during the COVID-19 emergency.

The FDA updated two guidances for the temporary compounding of certain drugs used to treat COVID-19 patients.

The FDA posted a list of COVID-19 antibody tests that will no longer be marketed because they have not been authorized for emergency use under its revised policy, or the manufacturer withdrew them from the list of tests under review for emergency use.

HHS announced that it has begun distributing nearly $4.9 billion from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to skilled nursing facilities to help them combat COVID-19.

The AHA is working hard to achieve health equity by working with the government to improve data collection to guide policy, and by creating tools and resources to help hospitals and health systems improve health equity in the community.

Hospitals have until May 29 to verify their wage data in the wage index public use files released in April, notify the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and their Medicare administrative contractor of any errors, and submit a letter and supporting documentation to request corrections to any CMS errors.

he Government Accountability Office named three new members to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission through April 2023.

The Department of Health and Human Services will work this year with the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and private sector stakeholders to develop a governance structure to improve and align federal health care quality programs while reducing administrative burden, according to a National Health Quality Roadmap released by HHS.

The Department of Health and Human Services will work this year with the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and private sector stakeholders to develop a governance structure to improve and align federal health care quality programs while reducing administrative burden, according to a National Health Quality Roadmap released by HHS.

The AHA urged leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to support a number of issues important to hospitals and health systems as they consider funding for health care programs for fiscal year 2021.

Individuals and businesses can make a financial gift to Give a Mask, which donates high-quality, non-medical grade facemasks to hospitals and other community-based organizations through a partnership with the AHA’s 100 Million Mask Challenge.

An annual report into death by several factors tied to mental health and wellbeing — otherwise referred to as “deaths of despair” — topped 150,000 in 2018.

The CDC issued revised guidance for pediatric clinicians on caring for newborns with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 or known COVID-19 exposure, including birth to a mother with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

A collaboration between the Department of Health and Human Services and AstraZeneca is projected to make available 300 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, the first of which could be available as early as October, HHS said.